Travel Musings of a New Yorker

Hotel Review: Citizen M (Tower of London)

When I arrived in London to the Swinton Hotel, which I’d found on Booking.com, I less than pleased. They’d advertised it as safe, but they requested you return your key every time you left. Weird. Then when you returned they didn’t ask for ID. There were also no locks on the doors (inside the doors) of the rooms. And they didn’t have AC. And London was in the middle of a heat wave. I bit the bullet and opened up HotelTonight and booked a room at the CitizenM Hotel at the Tower of London. I hopped in an Uber and was there in 10 minutes.

I was relieved.

I was greeted with an uber chic lobby and a minimalist and compact, yet insanely comfortable, room (pictured above) with a personalized greeting on the TV. I was in heaven. I don’t remember what I paid per night – but it was probably something in the $250/night range. I didn’t care. I had air conditioning and locks on my door. And no one asked me to return my key [card] when I left.

I spent a fair share of the evenings after long days of wandering having a drink at their bar on the 7th floor (also the floor where my room was). It had a spectacular view of the Tower of London. OMG.

the view of the Tower of London (left) and “the shard” (right)

In the lobby was another bar and a cafe, as well as a restaurant where breakfast was served each morning (for an extra (reasonable) charge). Let’s see.. what else. The bathrooms were what is called “rainfall” showers. Everything (lights, TV) is controlled by an iPad. Everything is brand new and sleek.

It was more than I wanted to spend, but the convenience, safety, and comfort that I got, I’d totally stay in a CitizenM hotel again on my future travels.